KARACHI, Dec 8: Pakistan’s hockey legend Manzoor Hussain Atif died early on Monday at the age of 81 in Rawalpindi after a protracted illness.

Atif, a retired Army brigadier, had enjoyed a unique position in the world of hockey in general, and the game in Pakistan in particular.

Though there are many good reasons for this status, what made him stand taller than most is the fact that he was involved in the winning of all three Olympic gold medals which Pakistan has won so far.

A recipient of Tamgha-i-Pakistan, Atif was a member of Pakistan’s first Olympic gold medal winning team at Rome in 1960 and on the next two occasions he managed the victorious teams — at Mexico in 1968 and at Los Angeles in 1984.

Atif attended 10 Olympics in his career — four as a player, three as manager and the remaining three in his capacity as an International Hockey Federation (FIH) delegate.

In fact, his participation in the Olympics could have been 12 occasions but unfortunately, he missed two — Munich 1972 and Moscow 1980 due to Pakistan-India war and boycott respectively.

Born in Gujrat on Nov 4, 1928, Atif had his early education at the Mission High School in Wazirabad. Horse riding was his main hobby during his schooldays. He passed his Matriculation at the age of 15 and later graduated from Zamindara College, Gujrat. Prior to joining the Army, Atif also studied at the famous Government College in Lahore for sometime. He joined the Army on March 9, 1949, and was commissioned on Feb 2, 1951.

Hockey was in Atif’s blood. Perhaps he was the only icon in the world of international hockey of such a long standing. He not only succeeded the late Col (retired) A.I.S. Dara in the FIH as vice-president, he was also the founding secretary of the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF). He served as chairman of the FIH Rules Board for a long time.

Atif, who used to play on the left fullback position, donned the national colour at the Helsinki Olympics in 1952 where Pakistan had to be content with the 4th position. He then represented the country at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics where Pakistan secured the silver medal. This was followed by Rome Olympics in 1960, when Pakistan won their first ever Olympic gold. The 1964 Tokyo Olympics were the last for Atif where he captained the greenshirts who won a silver medal.

After representing the country in four Olympics, Atif called it a day. However, the late General Mohammad Musa, then president of the PHF, made him manager of the Pakistan hockey team. He was then a Major but following his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Col in 1966, Atif was asked to quit the post.

Later, when President Ayub Khan appointed Air Marshal Nur Khan as the PHF chief, Atif was reappointed manager of the hockey team replacing his contemporary Brig Abdul Hameed Hamidi in January 1968, a few months before the Mexico Olympics.

Atif took great pains to mould the team into a winning combination. His efforts bore fruitful results when Pakistan beat Australia 2-1 at the Mexico Olympics to regain the title.

He remained out of touch with hockey from 1970 to 1974 following his professional engagements and the war. He was taken as a Prisoner of War in 1971 in Bangladesh, which was formerly known as East Pakistan.

In 1974, during the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto government, Atif was appointed to prepare feasibility report for hosting the 1978 Asian Games at Lahore. Later, Bhutto decided to construct a multipurpose sports complex with Chinese assistance in Islamabad and shifted the proposed games from Lahore to the capital.

Atif was sent on deputation as deputy director general in the Ministry of Sports, Islamabad. However, Pakistan’s dream remained unfulfilled as the nation opted out and the games were shifted to Bangkok.

Prior to being elected as secretary of the PHF and the AHF in 1978, Atif managed the Pakistan team at the Montreal Olympics in 1976. Atif was named as first director sports PIA in 1978 and served there until 1984. During his association, he initiated the idea of colt scheme which yielded fruitful results.

The six-year span from 1978 to 1984 also turned out to be golden era for the game under Atif — Nur Khan when Pakistan won the Buenos Aires World Cup, Delhi World Cup, Delhi Asian Games, two Champions Trophies, inaugural junior World Cup, Essenda World Cup and the Los Angeles Olympics.

Atif was a man of multi-dimensional personality. His demise has created a vacuum, which will take a long time to be filled. His services to the cause of the game globally will be remembered forever. May Allah rest his soul in the Eternal peace (Aameen).